Why Ken Shamrock should have been a game changer in the 90s

Pro wrestling fans know Ken Shamrock well. But what they know about is Ken Shamrock in WWF, or maybe in UFC.

What people know about Shamrock is not the true everything of Shamrock. He was much better than that.

When Shamrock signed with WWF, many experts called this signing as 'a game changing moment' for Monday Night War.

Why pro wrestling experts were so anticipated about Shamrock's signing with WWF? You will find out why, with this thread.



Ken Shamrock was one of the anticipated prospect in pro wrestling world in late 80s.

George Scott, the legendary booker who created Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat and Ric Flair in 70s, saw something special in Shamrock.

He even tried to make him the modern day Ricky Steamboat. But George Scott's promotion folded before establishing Shamrock, so Shamrock's destiny changed from this point.

Instead of being one of the regular pro wrestler, he decided to join mythical promotion of Japan, UWF.



UWF was a promotion that stated what they doing is a 'shooting', which means a legitimate fighting, not a traditional pro wrestling.

Shamrock defeated Yoji Anjo in his debut match, and because of his distinctive look, natural charisma, amazing submission skills and exciting in ring style made him famous instantly.



Akira Maeda figured out that Shamrock is a huge star material, he put Shamrock in a match with Masakatsu Funaki.

Masakastu Funaki, he was the official successor of Akira Maeda in UWF. It meant huge, I mean huuuuuge.



Akira Maeda was beyond pro wrestler at this timeline. His fame in Japan was a rock star level, like Michael Jackson or The Beatles in worldwide.

His fame was too high, he was even able to fill the Tokyo dome out, with more than 50000 attendance with his own star power.

Even though UWF had amazing superstars like Nobuhiko Takada, Kazuo Yamazaki, Yoshiaki Fujiwara as No.2 position behind Maeda, Maeda's choice was none other than Masakatsu Funaki.



Masakatsu Funaki, the best prospect of pro wrestling world in mid 1980s, he was the original choice for the legendary 'Jushin thunder liger' gimmick.

Even though New Japan had great prospects like Keiichi Yamada and Chris Benoit, nobody could touch Funaki for his ring ability and star quality.

Inoki took him as the next generation top leading star for upcoming decade, but Funaki always had the strong ambition for shoot fighting, so he quit New Japan and joined UWF instead.

Even among the mega stars, Funaki seemed too special.

He had a tanned ripped body which was very rare for Japanese, also amazing look that reminds a 80s hong kong movie star. (equivalent of hollywood movie star in western)

Maeda made Funaki defeats Takada, who was the obvious No. 2 of the company at the time, the only castle left for Funaki to overcome was Maeda.

So having second match in UWF against Funaki meant very special. It meant that Maeda has a huge plan for Shamrock.

Maeda wanted to make Shamrock as a rival of Funaki, and ultimately build him as a No.1 foreign star of the company.

Considering the fame of UWF at this time, it is safe to say that super stardom was guaranteed for shamrock.



But sadly, a goddess of destiny didn't give Shamrock an easy way this time too.

It is revealed that UWF's president, Jin Shinji, was corrupted and took money from the office without any consent.

Maeda tried to kick him out, but the president of UWF kicked all the roster instead with his abusive power.

Jin Shinji announced that UWF is folded. The legendary promotion died in vain.

Maeda gathered all the roster in his house, and tried to make a new promotion, but Yuko Miyato and Yoji Anjo rejected the offer and said they cannot trust Maeda anymore too.

So Maeda announced UWF is disbanded for good, UWF roster was divided into three groups.



1. The most famous 'UWF International' - Nobuhiko Takada as the top leading star with back up of true mastermind Yuko Miyato and Yoji Anjo.



2. RINGS - Virtually, one man promotion of Akira Maeda. RINGS had many foreign wrestlers from Europe, but none of them were close to stars. Maybe exception of Volk Han.



3. Pro wrestling Fujiwara Gumi - 'Submission master' Yoshiaki Fujiwara's promotion, with best future stars of UWF, Masakastsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki.

Among those three promotions, Shamrock chose Fujiwara Gumi and joined the promotion.

But not too long after, some problems started to be shown in the surface.

Even though Masakatsu Funaki, Minoru Suzuki and Ken Shamrock were the obviously best stars of the promotion, Fujiwara didn't want to give up his top leading star position.

Funaki and Suzuki, Shamrock always stayed in the position of secondary star position because of it.

In the consequence, three best stars of the promotions announced their independence and started a new promotion, named 'Pancrase'.



The difference between 'Pancrase' and all the 'shooting' promotions were simple. Pancrase was the first ever promotion that all the matches were not scripted.

In this circumstances, Ken Shamrock started to shine the more than ever. He was the most not only the most strong competitor of Pancrase, but he was also the most skilled one.

He started to become a huge deal in Japan. Around this time, he already surpassed Stan Hansen as for meaning of drawing ability in Japan.

With his name on the top, Pancrase could bring more than 10000 attendance to the venue.

He was one of the best foreign star in Japan at the time.



At the same time, Shamrock started to compete for UFC. in first UFC, Shamrock lost to Royce Gracie because he didn't know much about difference between UFC and Pancrase.

For example, in Pancrase, you wear a huge sin guard, so it leads you to make very easy to submit opponent's ankle and knee.

But in UFC, you don't have that sin guard and Royce was even wearing a Jiu-Jitsu uniform, so it was even more difficult to submit legs.

Ken Shamrock acquired the dominant back position, all he needed to do was apply choke from back or give punches from behind.

But he gave the dominant position up, and instead tried to submit Gracie's leg, and failed. Royce applied back choke and Shamrock lost the match.

Even though he lost the match against Gracie, Shamrock pretty much was the best fighter in the world at the time, along with Masakatsu Funaki.

 

Shamrock proved the world that he is the best fighter in the world by winning 'King of Pancrase' title, and UFC superfight championship. 

In the process, Shamrock 'defeated' two best fighters of the world at the time.

Masakatsu Funaki, and Royce Gracie, the two fighters who gave Shamrock defeat records in the past.

Especially, Shamrock's rematch with Royce was so one sided and impressive.

Shamrock didn't repeat his mistake this time. He took the dominant back position and kept pounding Gracie's face.

Gracie couldn't do anything, he was only able to try to block the punches of Shamrock in defensive position.



Even though the match was declared as a draw, only because PPV time was expired and UFC still didn't have a decision system yet.

It was so obvious who was the true winner of the match was.



Shamrock challenged Dan Severn, the title holder of UFC superfight champion, which was equivalent of UFC world heavyweight champion at the time.

Again, Shamrock submitted Severn easily and won the crown at last.



Shamrock proved the world that he is the best fighter in the world, but the most important thing was, he proved the world that he is a exceptional star material, and also a mega draw.

Not only Shamrock easily filled Japanese venues, but he also sold the most PPVs more than any wrestlers in the world at the time.

For instance, Shamrock made a record of 260000 PPV buyrates for UFC 5, the rematch with Royce Gracie that held in 1995.

The only PPV of WWF and WCW in 1995 that surpassed this record was Wrestlemania itself.

Shamrock's match with Severn sold 240000 PPVs. Considering Severn was not a superstar material, it was Shamrock who made that many people buy PPVs.

Even UFC 7, the event didn't feature any stars beside Shamrock, sold 190000 PPVs.



Shamrock was the top leading superstar that UFC had.

Not only he was an amazing star with great physique, amazing look, tremendous charisma, but he also had huge support of MMA fans in behind too.

In 1995, he even surpassed Hulk Hogan for selling PPVs as a single draw.

In 1997, UFC started to get in trouble due to political reasons, so stars in UFC all started to leave the promotion.

Royce Gracie went to Japan instead along with his brother Rickson Gracie, Dan Severn approached pro wrestling world again, Don Frye also knocked the door of pro wrestling world.



The biggest star of UFC, Ken Shamrock also had to make a choice. And then, New Japan pro wrestling approached Shamrock.

New Japan guaranteed Shamrock a main event title match in Tokyo Dome against Shinya Hashimoto.

New Japan also promised that Shamrock will win the title. If their promise gets fulfilled, he would become the third American wrestler to hold the title along with Hulk Hogan and Vader.

When the news about Shamrock would face Hashimoto in Tokyo dome spreaded in Japan, tickets for the event started to be sold like crazy.

That was how big star Shamrock was at the time. But when the deal with NJPW was about to be finished, one man called Shamrock personally.

His name, was none other than Vincent Kennedy Mcmahon.


To be continued.....